About Us

KtC is an ambitious new initiative. It has three years of philanthropic seed funding, and seeks to grow this investment by collaborating with other organisations in Australia and overseas to become a stand-alone, long-term initiative.

KtC is committed to working with business, industry, Indigenous organisations, community groups, NRM groups, environment groups, governments, researchers and others to achieve a sustainable and prosperous future for the North and its savanna landscapes. KtC especially supports the need for job creation and improved wellbeing in Indigenous communities in regional areas.

KtC is based on strong science, traditional knowledge, business expertise and local to international experience. We focus on innovation and building on, and adding value to, existing work.

KtC promotes sustainable development across the north, and is working to serve groups who share this agenda. We are advocating for development of high value knowledge and services (eg international education, tourism, tropical medicine, tropical design, disaster risk response, biosecurity etc) to complement strategically located and sustainably managed primary industries that are based on existing successes and leading practice (eg in strategic irrigated agriculture, mining, grazing and aquaculture, as well as apiculture, carbon abatement, crocodile farming, biotech and wild harvest products for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries). We are also advocating for investment in ecosystem services, land and water management and conservation. Such a model will create enduring local jobs, reduce dependence on boom-bust commodity markets and retain the amazing nature of Northern Australia.

We also work to avoid unsustainable development proposals such as multiple large dams, large scale clearing, polluting activities or poorly placed industry, as well as to respond to the ongoing decline of ecological and cultural integrity across the north. We urge caution regarding calls for big ‘food bowls’ and provide a counterpoint to ‘any development at any cost’ and notions of ‘wasted’ land and water in the north. KtC instead calls for a positive, prosperous future and wants to help provide a shared and sustainable vision, and authentic voice, for the north.

KtC is different from other initiatives because it is:

futures orientated

service focused

a broker and convener

about appropriate development and conservation, the two going hand in hand

independent of government funding

located in the North, and one of the few initiatives working across the whole of the North

not doing ‘on ground’ work but rather supporting those who do

grassroots based, listening to people across the North and amplifying their voices

working with others to create and hold a vision that inspires and unites those interested in pursuing it

KtC is based in Darwin. We currently employ one senior staff member and draw from a range of wisdom, energy and expertise across Northern Australia and beyond.